Slade's return
by OliviaCaroline1109
Summary: Robin has found a new lead on slade that is making him stay up all night and work all day. is it worth the risks to his team? ***i do not own teen titans or any of their characters***
1. Chapter 1

The sun streamed in through a large picture window, overlooking the water and the black silhouette of a city alive with its busy streets and inhabitants- along with the occasional slimy monster or super villain. Inside the room, a teenage alien opened her emerald green eyes and looked out at the view through pink tinted curtains. As Koriand'r, known on this world as Starfire, rose from bed, she heard the all too familiar sounds of bickering from the kitchen. She looked toward the wall, where Robin's room bordered hers. Inhaling deeply, the air around her reeked of coffee. Starfire sighed then looked hopefully out at the morning before going downstairs.

"Dude, I'm not gonna eat your stinking tofu!" Cyborg groaned.

"Come on, it's not gonna kill you…" Beast Boy pleaded, with a hint of whining in his voice.

"Can't you both just eat what you want and be quiet?" growled Raven almost inaudibly from the corner of the room.

Starfire flew into the room and spun around, "Friends! Is it not the perfect day for outdoor activities? I propose we do the picnic at the park! I shall prepare the mustard!"

"Sorry, Star. We're not going to have time for a picnic today." Robin said as he entered the room. Both Cyborg and Beast Boy, who had still been fighting over the taste of tofu versus bacon, looked up.

"Why not? What's up?" Cyborg asked, as Raven silently made her way over to the group. Starfire floated over, looking closely at Robin. She had heard him stirring in his room, hours after the rest of the Titans had gone to bed. He was still up when she had gone to bed herself.

"Dude, you look bad. Do you ever sleep?" Beast Boy said, looking Robin up and down. Now that it had been mentioned, the boy wonder did look a bit worse for wear. His hair wasn't spiked up, and he was slouching, leaning heavily on the wall. Starfire landed slowly and looked at him with concern on her face. She had known that Robin had stayed up late, but now she suspected he hadn't gone to bed at all. Robin saw the look in her eyes and knew he was worrying her, and even if he really should've gotten some sleep, he didn't want her to worry.

"I'm fine," he said, "I've got a lead on Slade." He was met with silence, so he continued "There have been reports of many people coming and going from an abandoned building downtown. One of them described as wearing a half orange, half black mask that no one has seen him without." He looked into Starfire's wide, bright eyes, and steeled himself. He knew Star would think he'd become obsessed, like he had all of the times before. He couldn't do that to her again. He couldn't hurt her again.

Cyborg looked around. "That does sound like Slade."

"Shall we go, um, 'check it out'?" Starfire asked. As much as St

"I'll get the T-car!" Beast Boy yelled, running for the door, only to be stopped by Cyborg.

"Only I get the T-car BB. Don't even try it."

"Come on…."

Raven interrupted, "Enough!" then to Robin, "What's the plan?"

The titans stood about a block away from Slade's new hideout. Starfire and Raven took to the sky to scout out the building, and Robin felt his stomach clench. He knew Starfire could take care of herself, but it felt wrong to send her ahead into unknown territory without him to protect her. But after a few minutes, with no communication, it was becoming unbearable. _They just don't want to blow their cover. Cyborg hasn't picked up any sounds of fighting on his sensors. The plan is working. _He tried to think about Starfire's strength and ability in training, but instead he found himself thinking of the times in battle when she'd been in trouble. When she hadn't been able to fly because she had been confused by… _Okay. Breathe. This isn't where your head needs to be right now._

Just as he started to relax, Raven returned, coming around the corner alone.

"Where is Starfire?" Robin said, immediately drawing his staff and walking toward the building. But he stopped dead when he heard Raven speak.

"I don't know how they knew we were there, but as soon as we landed inside, we were shot with beams of light that deactivated our powers, and the floor opened up. I was able to grab something, but Star fell." She was leaning against a nearby wall, breathing heavily. She removed her hood to reveal a gash across her forehead, dripping thick blood down her face.

"I couldn't catch her" She said, and she collapsed onto the sidewalk.

"Beast Boy, take her back to the tower. Cyborg, you're with me, we're going in. Titans, Go!" Robin gave the remaining members of his team orders. Beast Boy shook off the shock of seeing Raven so weak, and took off flying with her arms in his talons as Cyborg and Robin took off running, weapons drawn.


	2. Chapter 2

*******************Hey everyone reading this, just wanted to say thanks for reading to the second chapter, that must mean im not awful. this is my first fanfic, so all reviews are welcome. im going to try and post on a semi-regular basis, but the more people who read and follow, the more ill update :) so recommend my story to people :P and btw, i dont own teen titans, nor am i affiliated. just fyi.

3 ocaroline1109

Starfire woke up with pain throughout her body and little energy; she couldn't even pick up her head. After taking a few minutes to get her bearings, she realized she was in a pitch black room, chained to the wall by her wrists, and she realized she was hanging low enough to touch the floor and stand, but when she tried, her head felt like it was going to explode, so she decided to save her energy. The air was thick with a moldy, earthy smell, leading her to believe she was far under the bustling city she had admired this morning, although that seemed like a lifetime ago now...

"Hello?" She whispered, and then winced, as a shaft of light appeared, revealing the air thick with dust. And someone spoke.

"Hello Starfire. I hope that you are enjoying your new accommodations." a familiar voice said. Then Slade stepped into the light.

Voice shaking, Starfire was able to respond between labored breaths. "Slade… Why are you keeping me in this… dark place? Why… have you not killed me? Where are my friends? …Where is Raven?" Starfire spit the questions angrily while still trying to regain her breath and her strength, but Slade ignored her. He ran his finger across a table that Starfire hadn't noticed until now. But when she did, her eyes went wide. In an organized row on the metal table were an assortment of syringes, knives, restraints and other cruel looking things Starfire was sure were to be used against her.

"Admiring my toys, Princess Koriand'r?" Slade asked, looking at her. She could almost hear the smug smile hidden by his mask. But before Starfire could open her mouth to ask how Slade knew her true name, a loud bang shook the room, making her head pound, and black spots dance across her vision. _I will not pass out again. I won't… I can't._

"It sounds like your friends have managed to get through my first level of security… and as for that other girl, Raven? Well I let her get away, how else would anyone know to come looking for you?"

Starfire sighed "Well I am glad she at least remained unharmed…"

Slade chuckled, "I never said she was unharmed. I made sure to send a message with her, so the titans would be more… persuaded, to come and find you." Starfire watched with horror as a hologram was displayed, showing Raven collapsing with her bloodied face, until the hologram was disconnected and the wall behind Slade was blown apart.

Robin opened his eyes once the dust had cleared to see a dark room beyond the recently destroyed wall. In the center of it, still standing, was Slade, and he was alone next to an empty table.

"Where is Starfire?" Robin demanded, advancing a few steps before Cyborg stopped him. "What is it?"

"My scanners aren't picking up any life forms. It's a hologram." Cyborg said, and sure enough, if you squinted, you could see it flicker.

"UGH!" Robin threw a punch at Slade's back, and then after his hand glided through seamlessly, he put his head in his hands. _Star…_

"Robin! Rob-" Robin looked up. He could hear Starfire scream his name, but he couldn't see her. She sounded like she was behind the wall… only she wasn't muffled at all… and it sounded as though someone had covered her mouth.

"Cyborg, blast the next one!" Robin yelled as he got out of the line of fire. Cyborg raised his sonic cannon, but to his shock, the blast went through the wall. It was followed by a delayed explosion, and a female scream.

Starfire's scream was cut off, when Slade stabbed a syringe into her abdomen. Cyborg's cannon had knocked one of her arms free, and she tried feebly and clumsily to unchain the other before the injection took effect, and her hand slipped down until her fingers were barely brushing the floor, and she was still.

The wall that Cyborg had blasted flickered, and revealed itself to be another hologram. Behind it was the real Slade, next to a table that appeared to be full of torture instruments. And beyond him was Starfire, hanging lifeless, chained to the half destroyed wall by one arm.

"Starfire!" Robin yelled and took off running toward her but stopped when he got close enough to see just how still she was. "Starfire?" Her eyes were half open, and he couldn't even tell if she was breathing unless he watched her closely. He knelt down beside her and lifted her into his arms, and then taking a weapon out of his belt he broke the chains binding her to the wall. When he turned around, he was surprised to see Cyborg fighting Slade. He had been so shocked by Starfire's sudden appearance and condition that he had been oblivious to the fighting going on around him.

"GO!" Cyborg said, while fighting to hold his own against Slade. "Take her and get her out of here!" then he blasted Slade through what was left of the wall where Starfire had been.

Robin almost listened, but stopped and turned, hesitating before saying, "No! Take her and find out what he did to her. I'll fight him." Then without a word, he passed Starfire to Cyborg, and leapt through the wall after Slade.


End file.
